The face shows many things, including our character, and expressions, but also our age and signs of aging. Modern life can be filled with stress and lack of sleep, inadequate diet, excessive sun exposure, and smoking, which can show on our face and neck.
Excess skin, fine lines, excess eye skin bags and jowl laxity are just some of the inevitable signs of aging. In addition to the effects of time on your skin, several factors such as prolonged sun exposure, genetics, medications, smoking, and repeated facial expressions can also play a part. If you prefer smoother and firmer skin on your face, facial surgery may be suitable for you. The facial surgeries offered by Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle, are outlined below.
What is Face Surgery?
Face surgery includes a set of surgical procedures that can treat facial ptosis correction and skin laxity. Generally, the surgical goal of face surgery can be to remove excess skin, excess fat and to tighten the skin on your face, skin above and below your eyes, nose, forehead, neck, jaw, and lip region.
In the case where non-surgical methods are no longer suitable, undergoing cosmetic surgery may be recommended to you by Dr Doyle.
Am I a Suitable Candidate for Face Surgery?
A suitable candidate for facial surgery may have excess facial skin, skin laxity or excess facial fat.
If you have some of the above (skin laxity, excess facial skin or excess facial fat), on your face or other facial features, and you have exhausted all non-surgical options, you may be a suitable candidate for face surgery.
However, due to the extensiveness of most facial surgeries, certain prerequisites must be met in order to be a good candidate for this type of surgery.
You should be a non-smoking person with good overall health. This means that you do not suffer from serious illnesses and other medical conditions that could endanger your health and safety.
Also, you need to be a mentally stable person, have realistic expectations, and be aware of all the risks, complications, and results that this procedure can provide you.
During your initial consultation with Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle, your health history, current medications, body type, and surgery goals will be assessed to determine if face surgery is suitable for you. In general, you are may be a good candidate for a face surgery if:
- You are not taking any medications that can significantly increase your risk of bleeding.
- You are willing to adhere to pre-and-post-surgical instructions.
- You don’t have a bleeding or clotting disorder.
- You don’t have any chronic debilitating disease.
- You don’t smoke.
- You have a positive outlook on life.
- You have realistic surgery expectations.
- You have, fine lines, excess eye skin, jowl laxity, and excess facial skin.
Depending on your procedure, some benefits of facial surgery may include:
- Improved breathing
- Tighter skin
- Improved visual function
- Smoother and firmer facial skin
The results of facial procedures are unique to each patient’s anatomy and may vary due to the patient’s condition and anatomical predispositions.
Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle has over 30 years of experience and has performed thousands of facial surgery procedures.
Most Popular Face Surgery Procedures
Your face is made up of many structures that give you unique characteristics. It contains over 40 different muscles, almost half of which we use just to smile! With the development of plastic surgery, various methods have emerged that focus on your face as a whole, the chin, the neck, and the ears.
Face surgery is performed by Dr Doyle, a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, located on the Gold Coast, the face surgeries which he specialises in include:
Facelift Gold Coast
A Face Lift, also known as Rhytidectomy, is the most performed procedure in facial plastic surgery, with the surgical goal of achieving a firmer face. A facelift can tighten facial and neck skin laxity, resulting in a tighter facial appearance.
Mini Facelift Gold Coast
The Mini Face Lift is a less invasive surgery, when compared to the classic facelift, and it is better suited for patients who have less pronounced signs of aging. A mini facelift (also known as S-lift, or mini-lift) is a facial procedure that uses surgical techniques to tighten the face and neck, furthermore tightening excess skin and skin folds, which may have hidden the jawline or neckline.
Eyelid Surgery Gold Coast
Eyelid surgery or Blepharoplasty can correct eye skin laxity and excess eye skin by tightening the skin around the eyes. The result is firmer upper or under-eye skin. Vision improvements can also be achieved by minimising the excess skin from the upper lids.
Brow Lift / Forehead Lift Gold Coast
A Brow Lift can lift and tighten the forehead skin minimising skin laxity and removing the excess upper eyelid skin. This procedure may also raise lowered eyebrows. The result is a tighter appearance of the eyes and eyebrows.
Ear Reduction Gold Coast
Ear pinning or Otoplasty is a surgical procedure that changes the size and shape of the ears, often placing them closer to the head. Also known as an ear reduction, this is a cosmetic procedure of the ears, which can form a more narrow ear shape. This is a procedure that can change the appearance of your ears.
Neck Lift Gold Coast
A neck lift, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that removes excess skin and tissue from the neck region, to tighten the skin and create a firmer neckline and jawline.
Neck and Chin Liposuction Gold Coast
Liposuction of the neck and chin is a cosmetic surgery that removes fat in the chin and upper neck region. Liposuction can be performed on most areas of the body with excess tissue and excess fat, which will not go away with weight loss and exercise. This procedure can remove stubborn fat pockets or excess body tissue.
Cosmetic Non-Surgical Treatments Gold Coast
Non-surgical treatments are considered minimally invasive anti-ageing treatments when compared to surgical procedures, although it is vital to remember that even non-surgical treatments have risks associated. Anti-ageing treatments can include skin needling, muscle relaxants, volume enhancers and more.
Recovery After Face Surgery
Several factors are important for recovery, the most important being the patient’s ability to recover and the extent of the procedure. Your recovery time will greatly depend on the type and extent of your face procedure, as well as the surgery plan and your surgery goals.
Most facial procedures are outpatient, meaning that patients are discharged to home care on the same day of surgery. Once you are stable, your surgeon will allow you to go home and will provide you with instructions regarding how to care for your surgical wounds, medications to take at home, and when to return to Gold Coast Plastic Surgery for your follow-up appointment.
Generally, most patients return to normal daily activities a week following the procedure, and for successful recovery, it is essential to follow all of the post-surgery instructions, provided to you by Dr Doyle.
Depending on the procedure, you may experience pain, swelling and bruising to your face, following your procedure. If required, you will be prescribed medication by Dr Doyle.
It is important to keep in mind that the recovery period may vary from patient to patient. You will also be advised to refrain from strenuous activities, to prevent tension on your suture lines.
What Dr Mark Doyle Does Differently?
Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Doyle has over 30 years of experience in performing neck lifts, facelifts, and eyelid procedures.
Dr Doyle has a patient and caring bedside manner, he is dedicated to surgery education, and extensive surgical planning. In your initial consultation with Dr Doyle, he will answer the surgery questions you may have and help you overcome any concerns regarding your surgery.
How Much Does Face Surgery Cost?
No part of our body is quite as unique as our face. For this reason, each facial surgery is very different and requires an individual surgery plan. The average prices and costs of facial surgery vary, as each patient has different medical conditions and treatment goals.
During your consultation, your surgeon will provide you with a customised price estimate and price range for your facial procedure. This quote includes the Surgeon’s fee, anesthetist fee, Surgical Assistant fee, and hospital fees.
Some face procedures are covered by Medicare health insurance, these mainly relate to procedures that are closely related to the functionality of the nose. You can access our list of patient resources to find out more about the cost of face surgery:
Complications and Risks of Face Surgery
Risks and potential complications are rare in facial procedures performed by Dr Doyle. However, all surgery has risks. The most common possible risks and complications are:
- Bleeding
- Loss of sensation
- Haematomas
- Infection
- Pain
- Seroma
- Scars
- Reaction to anesthesia
Like other surgical procedures, face surgery also has specific risks. When recovering at home, it is important to watch out for the following signs and symptoms associated with your procedure:
- Allergic reactions to anesthesia such as skin rashes and difficulty breathing
- Changes in your facial sensation
- Delayed wound healing
- Facial weakness
- Increasing pain in your face
- Numbness in one or both sides of your face
- Pus draining from your wound
- Severe swelling
- Skin discolouration
- Skin loss
- Sutures that protrude through the skin
- Unwanted scarring
- Wound dehiscence
Medical References
- Types of Plastic Surgery | Stanford Health Care
- Facial Plastic Surgery and Treatment Options – ENT Health
- Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Overview
Face Surgery Frequently Asked Questions
How Long does Face Surgery take?
Most of the facial procedures performed by Dr Mark Doyle take between 2 – 4 hours to complete in theatre at John Flynn Private Hospital.
How Long after the Facelift will I Recover?
It takes time for the swelling, redness, and bruising to pass. Generally, most patients recover within 4 to 6 weeks. Although, it can take up to 12 months to see the final results from face surgery.
What Age Should I Get a Facelift?
No set age conditions for a facelift. Some of us age earlier, some later. But most patients who undergo facelift surgery with Dr Doyle are between 45 – 70 years of age. A mini face-lift, however, is better suited to patients who are showing fewer signs of ageing. These are typically men and women between the ages of 40 and 50.
Will my Medicare or my Health Insurance cover my Face Surgery Expenses?
In most cases, your insurance plan will not cover your facial surgery expenses, as it is considered “elective surgery”. To reduce your financial burden, our facial surgeons will provide you with financing options during your consultation.
What Should I do Before my Facial Surgery?
During your consultation with a surgeon, you will be advised to avoid any blood-thinning medications, smoking, alcohol, and prolonged sun exposure a week before your surgery, to ensure optimal healing and lower the risk of complications.
How can I Minimise Facial Discomfort after my Procedure?
Aside from taking pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, your surgeon will advise you to use an ice compress over your surgical wound to minimise facial discomfort. Before discharge, your surgeon will teach you how to care for your wound.
How Long will the Results of my Face Surgery Last?
Several factors will affect the clinical outcome of your surgery including your surgeon’s skills, the type and extent of your surgery, how you care for your wounds, and how you adhere to post-surgical instructions. In general, the results of facial surgery are considered to generally last for several years. However, in rare cases and due to the effects of gravity and further aging, you may be recommended further facial surgery in the future.
Book a Consultation
If you are considering face surgery, Gold Coast Specialist Plastic Surgeon Dr Mark Doyle has over 30 years of experience. To learn more about facial plastic surgery procedures, or to book a consultation, please contact us today.
About Dr Mark Doyle FRACS (Plas) – Queensland Plastic Surgeon
Servicing patients in Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Cairns and New South Wales NSW – Northern Rivers, Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore and more.
Dr Mark Doyle is a fully qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon with over 30 years of experience performing breast, body, face and nose surgery. He has completed all required training and only carries out approved surgical practices. There are NO undertrained doctors or cosmetic doctors acting as surgeons at Gold Coast Plastic Surgery.
